This invention relates generally to fastener devices and more particularly, it relates to a shell buckle formed of a shell buckle body member and a shell buckle latch member which are capable of being releasably interlocked together and includes a pair of resilient arch members extending from the sides of a central portion of the body member so as to form a C-shaped section for facilitating a quick-release of the latch member from the body member.
The present invention has numerous applications and as a specific example but not intended to serve as a limitation upon its scope or teachings, the shell buckle of this invention may be utilized for connecting the straps or belts of a life-jacket, backpack, and the like where it is desired to releasably secure the ends of the strap or belt together. There are known heretofore in the prior art of various types of such buckles
For example, British Patent No. 1,146,568 discloses a connecting device which is comprised of a female member and a male member. The female member includes a pair of slots extending longitudinally of its body and a pair of flexible arms also extending longitudinally of its body. The male member includes a pair of flexible tongues extending away from and longitudinally of its body portion. The tongues expand into slots so as to prevent retraction of the male member until the flexible arms of the female member are pushed to urge inwardly the tongues of the male member.
In British patent application No. 2,138,879A, there is disclosed a buckle comprising of separable cooperating receptacle and clasp members each having a pair of opposed resilient arms. The arms on the receptacle are movable inwardly relative to each other so as to cause inward movement of the arms on the clasp member, thereby uncoupling the clasp member from the receptacle member.
In British patent application No. 2,140,859A, there is disclosed a buckle which comprises a male member having a pair of resilient flexible legs and a female member having a socket portion. The socket portion has a pair of side walls defining therebetween a slot for receiving the legs. The socket portion includes a pair of cantilevered arms disposed inwardly of the side walls and resiliently flexible therebetween. The arms are resiliently flexible toward each other to effect disengagement of the legs and the side walls.
Further, British Patent No. 2,156,423 discloses a plug-in latch device comprised of a male member having a latch arm extending longitudinally from its base and presenting a retaining head, and a female member having a resiliently deflectable latch release element joined to both ends of its housing. An intermediate part of the length of the latch release element is deflectable to force the retaining head out of abutment with a retaining shoulder formed on the female member, thereby permitting withdrawal of the male member from the female member.
Finally, in French Patent No. 2,451,175 there is taught a buckle for joining two strap ends which includes a male piece having a pair of resilient tongues projecting from opposed edges and a female piece having two hollows corresponding with the faces of the tongues on the male piece. The female piece further includes a pair of tongues partially covering each hollow for causing suppression of the corresponding tongues on the male piece so as to separate the two pieces.
However, none of the prior art discussed above teach a shell buckle having a shell buckle body member and a shell buckle latch member like that of the present invention which includes a pair of resilient arch members extending from the sides of the central portion of the shell buckle body member so as to form a C-shaped section for facilitating a quick-release of the latch member from the body member.